My sister is 23 weeks pregnant (she was exactly 20 weeks behind me when I was pregnant) and has been put on bedrest. She has a full placenta previa, has had cramping at various times through pregnancy, and was put on bedrest at 22 weeks due to bleeding. They took her out of work (she's an ICU nurse), and said that when she's not actively bleeding she can do things as long as it's nothing strenuous, but if she's actively bleeding it's bed or couch and only up for the bathroom. Apparently she had to go in for monitoring the other night because she was having contractions every 10 minutes and more mild bleeding, but they sent her home. She's been having more contractions but they're not always regular. The short-term goal is to make it to 24 weeks (next week on Wedndesday), when the baby/fetus could be viable outside the womb. Obviously, she doesn't want to deliver that early though. If she makes it, they will schedule a C-section for 37 weeks. She had a section with my nephew too (age 4.5) because he was breech.

Anyway, my sister either has the worst luck with medical stuff or is a hypochondriac, or a drama queen. I'm tempted to say it's all of the above. Obviously she can't fake a previa or bleeding, and her contractions did register on the uterine monitor, but I wouldn't be surprised if she's making a bigger deal about some symptoms than other women would.

I wish I could help her out a bit more while she's on bedrest, but I've got a newborn myself (plus my 2-year-old). My nephew goes to preschool and before/after care, so she doesn't have to take care of him during the day. Her husband normally travels a lot for work but has been trying to only take local cases so he can stay in town. I've offered to bring over dinner, and will probably try to do so once a week until the baby's born (and a few weeks after as needed).

Faith, 3Aish redhead
Mama to two wild superheroes and a curly-headed baby boy